Paraíba judge reverses release order for police officers in drug trafficking probe

A judge in Paraíba has reversed a previous decision that ordered the release of police delegate Braz Morroni de Paiva Júnior and officers Everton Rychelyson da Silva Aires and Eduardo Jorge Ferreira do Egito. The investigators are part of Operação Pérfidus, which probes an alleged scheme involving civil police officers and drug trafficking connections.

The reversal occurred after the court determined that the initial order to issue release warrants was based on a mistaken premise. While the judge had previously denied a request for preventive detention, it was discovered that the suspects were not actually being held under the jurisdiction of this specific criminal case, but were instead in custody due to other ongoing legal proceedings.

As a result, the order to release them and apply certain precautionary measures has been rendered void. The suspects remain in custody due to the other active warrants. The case also involves ongoing jurisdictional disputes regarding whether the 5th Criminal Court or a specialized military and organized crime court should oversee the proceedings.